The End of Summer

Summer seems to have flown by in an alarming manner. Granted here in my new home it is half the time and typical summer weather is far less common, but I am still surprised to find it coming to an end. I was anxious to make the most of the time me and the kids would have together as well as any holiday time we had with my husband so I attempted to keep us occupied with activities and outings. Those that follow my blog know that I planned projects for the kids and I to do while my husband was away in addition to taking one previously written about trip to Scotland and another to London this weekend. I have hope that as the family looks back on our first summer in this country that we will remember fondly how we filled our time.

I will admit that planning and executing activities for a ten and fourteen year old was sometimes more like work than fun. At least once my daughter sighed and grumbled about having to craft everyday. In truth it wasn't always a craft. We baked, we created, we walked, we explored and we bonded, dang it! 

Not all of these things were complete successes, in fact some of them we cursed and crumpled but always completed. My way of making sure the kids didn't spend the last five weeks playing video games or texting, much to their general dissatisfaction. Despite this I found that I loved the time in the day when we would put away everything else and simply spend time together, and maybe the time will come that they feel the same way. 

Honestly, they didn't complain that much and sometimes really got into whatever new idea I pulled from other peoples minds. They were, all things told, very supportive of a needy mother. I am normally very okay with the school year, not one to sit and pine for my children to come home. Historically I have kept myself very entertained with work, school, books, projects and outings but since moving so far away from the familiar I have gained a new appreciation for family. Normally pretty bored playing stay at home mum it has been a nice surprise to realize how much satisfaction and enjoyment I can get from choosing this lifestyle. Will I work again, probably, but in the meantime I am soaking up every second of my time in the home and all the extra time I have with those that live in it.

So summer is nearly over and all that extra time will be shortened slightly. The flat will likely be cleaner, those projects I put on the back burner will get worked on again, new ones will be started and I'll probably be out and about a bit more but I will be looking forward to the next break and my next chance to do all those things with them again. We will be taking them into London this weekend, and have planned to use the most of this last holiday time and I will be back to writing about the things I see next time but this one was a tribute to my kids and the joy they bring me.